Table 4

Respiratory infection in the first year of life and subsequent asthma risk after age 5 years, stratified by gestational age

Infection stratified by gestational ageAsthma n (%)No asthma n (%)HR (95% CI)p ValueHR* (95% CI)p Value
Weeks 0–27
 Infection52 (20.6)200 (79.4)2.03 (1.47 to 2.80)<0.0012.22 (1.59 to 3.09)<0.001
 No infection130 (10.6)1091 (89.4)ReferenceReference
Weeks 28–31
 Infection132 (18.3)591 (81.7)1.47 (1.21 to 1.78)<0.0011.57 (1.29 to 1.92)<0.001
 No infection458 (12.8)3130 (87.2)ReferenceReference
Weeks 32–36
 Infection738 (18.9)3168 (81.1)1.47 (1.35 to 1.59)<0.0011.54 (1.42 to 1.68)<0.001
 No infection2588 (13.3)16 940 (86.7)ReferenceReference
Weeks 37–41
 Infection6194 (17.8)28 645 (82.2)1.44 (1.40 to 1.48)<0.0011.49 (1.45 to 1.53)<0.001
 No infection22 075 (12.7)152 119 (87.3)ReferenceReference
Weeks >41
 Infection446 (17.8)2061 (82.2)1.51 (1.36 to 1.68)<0.0011.57 (1.41 to 1.75)<0.001
 No infection1512 (12.1)11 023 (87.9)ReferenceReference
Weeks uncertain
 Infection23 (21.5)84 (78.5)2.10 (1.29 to 3.42)0.0032.21 (1.34 to 3.65)0.002
 No infection56 (10.4)482 (89.6)ReferenceReference
  • *Adjusted for child's sex, maternal asthma, maternal age at delivery, year of birth, birth weight, maternal smoking, infection during first year of life, parity and chronic lung disease.